With a mobile X-ray apparatus disclosed, an operator is able to go rounds without contacting to the mobile X-ray apparatus while the mobile X-ray apparatus traveling automatically tracks the operator. Since the operator controls the mobile X-ray apparatus without contacting to the mobile X-ray apparatus, the operator is able to carry more items necessary for patient diagnosis with an operator's free hand. In addition, the mobile X-ray apparatus automatically travels while tracking the operator from behind. Accordingly, an operator's view is not obstructed, ensuring prevention of the mobile X-ray apparatus from contacting to the obstructions. Moreover, when the operator enters into a no-entry area for the mobile X-ray apparatus, it is detected that the mobile X-ray apparatus is now ready to enter into the no-entry area, and accordingly, the mobile X-ray apparatus stops its automatic tracking function. With the above configuration, the mobile X-ray apparatus allows automatic travelling while tracking the operator, and also allows automatic prevention of the mobile X-ray apparatus from entering into the no-entry area. As a result, rounds with the mobile X-ray apparatus are performable in a safer manner.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A mobile X-ray apparatus, comprising: a carriage of which a main body of the X-ray apparatus is on board; drive wheels that move the carriage; a label attached to an operator; a label detector that detects the label; and a label tracking controller that controls driving of the drive wheels such that the carriage tracks the label in accordance with a result detected by the label detector.
2. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the label tracking controller stops the driving of the drive wheels when the label detector detects that the label is moved vertically for a given period of time.
3. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an alert sounding device that sounds an alert, wherein the alert sounding device sounds the alert when the label detector detects no label for a given period of time.
4. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising: a laid object detector that detects a laid object that is laid on the floor, wherein the label tracking controller stops the driving of the drive wheels when the laid object detector detects the laid object.
5. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the alert sounding device sounds the alert when the laid object detector detects the laid object.
6. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising: an obstruction detector that detects contact of the carriage to an obstruction, wherein the label tracking controller stops the driving of the drive wheels when the obstruction detector detects the contact of the carriage to the obstruction.
7. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the alert sounding device sounds the alert when the obstruction detector detects the contact of the carriage to the obstruction.
8. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the alert sounding device is a portable terminal.
9. The mobile X-ray apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a moving route detector that detects a moving route of the carriage set in advance, wherein the label tracking controller stops the driving of the drive wheels so as to travel along the moving route when the moving route detector detects the moving route.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 6, 2013
July 3, 2018
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